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When I was younger I was put in repeated school situations where I was both misunderstood and ostracized (I don't mean this in a whiny way, I didn't get them either and didn't have a very good understanding of my temperament at the time). I find that I began to hide behind an INTJ mask.

I admire INTJs because they seem like they don't care what anyone says and are perfectly happy being alone. They also don't seem as clumsy/bumbly/bubbly. They seem so smooth and in control, and I interpreted that as confidence.

I am almost the exact opposite of this of course. I care too much, get lonely easily, and stumble through everything. At the time, I wanted to deadpan one-liners, project that nerdy-rebel aura , and give icy glares. (My real glares have been called the dreaded "cute", btw ). I kept it up for a few years, and actually got rather good at it. I was originally mistyped as an INTP, them as an "emotionally unstable" ENTP :rolli:. I think this weak INTJ mask has become kind of my default safety-blanket setting. =( I'm working on that.

I admire INTJs because they seem like they don't care what anyone says and are perfectly happy being alone. They also don't seem as clumsy/bumbly/bubbly. They seem so smooth and in control, and I interpreted that as confidence.

I am almost the exact opposite of this of course. I care too much, get lonely easily, and stumble through everything. At the time, I wanted to deadpan one-liners, project that nerdy-rebel aura , and give icy glares. (My real glares have been called the dreaded "cute", btw ).

I feel you. INTJ's are all the enviable things you mention. A few years ago, I mentioned a lot of what you just posted to my INTJ ex, and he had a few counterpoints that put things in a different light:

Me: "I wish I could be happier being alone, not relying on people for stimulation all the time"
Him: "You're nuts! Do you have any idea of how much easier my life would be if I actually liked to talk to people? I waste so much energy on conversations throughout the day!"

Me: "I wish people didn't tell me I was cute every time I get angry and treat me like a child even in some professional situations"
Him: "But you are cute. Live with it. And find a smart way to use it to your advantage."

Me: "Why do I have to care about what everyone thinks of me all the effin time?"
Him: "You don't."

I don't know, for some reason the things he said put ENFP in perspective for me and made me feel that I have some measure of control over the stuff I don't like so much. Maybe you'll feel the same way? Not like loving your type would make it much easier to untrain yourself to display an INTJ mask that has gotten comfortable. That's hard work, and I think it's brave of you to even admit that you have a mask. Best of luck

P.S. Oh, and you can glare at me and I promise you I won't find it the least bit cute

I purposely try and look like an ISTP plumber or sometimes the ISTP Paul Bunyun subtype. I make snarky one liners and I wear my pants really low so that people can see my buttcrack.

I'm the most like my type. More so than anyone else in the world or anyone who used to exist in this world. I have no evidence for this but... I'm just gonna say that anyways because I think it makes me cool. Joe Cool.

hahahaha!

There can’t be any large-scale revolution until there’s a personal revolution, on an individual level. It’s got to happen inside first.